Stars
by RikaandHerPikachu
Summary: Irie Kanata misses Tanegashima Shuuji, and it's been oh so long since Irie has seen him. A story of coping and using the guidance of the stars.


Irie Kanata looked up at the brilliant twinkles in the sky, sighing. It wasn't that life wasn't… good, or anything, it's just that, he wanted nothing more than return to the times when Taneshima Shuuji was still _with_ him. He remembered the times playing his saxophone by the moonlight, Shuuji sitting next to him before yanking it from his hands, laughing, and fleeing into the house.

He remembered the times they sat on their balcony, or their roof, and just admired the times.

Kanata recalled his poker face never worked on Shuuji; Shuuji could see right through it at any given moment. He _knew_ when Kanata was lying, and that matter was intriguing.

Shuuji had always been fun, caused quite a laugh, and Kanata could always remain calm and happy in his presence. Shuuji could never have offended him.

And Shuuji had always seen his acting as fun, and let Kanata do as his wished when it came to pursuing it.

He missed though days, those days when Shuuji was still _with_ him, so he looked at the lights in the sky, shining with grand luster.

"Ah, Tanegashima, you know, that was a pretty harsh thing you did back there. Taking those middle scholars water bottles~"

"Want a sip?"

Kanata glanced around, smiling as he reached at and took the water bottle, sipping the water inside down. "They'll manage though."

"Of course they will. Tenacious ones, they are," Shuuji said with a laugh, he glanced about. "Oh, but they're coming this way." He chugged down the water before tossing the bottle aside. "Let's ride before they catch up.

And they did just that.

Habitual hugs from behind, from the side, around the legs because one was too lazy to stand up in the moment, these were vivid memories, and Kanata had to thank the camp for allowing him to meet Shuuji and become so close to him.

The relationship was powerful, it mattered, sparkling bright like the closest star to the earth.

When Shuuji _left_ him, he had put out an act. Only his closest friends knew how upset he was, but everyone else thought he was _abnormally_ calm about the whole thing. Shuuji had been the most important person in his life, the one that sat down and found enjoyment in the theater films, watched them with Kanata, the one that had been able to manage a playful demeanor back, easily taking up the teasing and games Kanata played.

The one that could read Kanata easily.

Even though that was one of Kanata's hardest to deal with things, it was also the most interesting thing. The sheer ability of observation that Shuuji had held amused him, challenged his skills and pushed them further.

All those times in the past, and Kanata knew he could smile on them. He stood up, walking back inside, and laying down on his bed, He tapped the extra space on the bed twice, before removing his glasses.

He closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

He awoke, but this awakening was not of normal. It felt hazy. He rubbed his eyes, but felt nothing, no pressure, no change.

He looked ahead, nothing that he was on a boat. His age, still the same, his breathing, the same rockiness it held for years. Skin wrinkled slightly like it was when he fell asleep, strawberry blonde hair thinned and whitened, no physical change in appearance he could figure out.

He remembered then, hearing familiar laughter.

He peered around the corner, seeing a younger himself and a younger Shuuji.

"You know, I ordered you three full plates of that food you hate, Shuuji."

"Did you now?"

"I was mad at you, for throwing one of my racquets overboard."

"It looked like it needed a swim, Kanata," Shuuji laughed, patting the younger Kanata on the head. The scene playing was so real.

"Well! No use wasting money. I'm expecting you to eat all the food up! …Just kidding!" the younger Kanata grinned, pressing chin against Shuuji's shoulder, before looking up, closing his eyes, and kissing Shuuji's cheeks.

"You didn't even order it, did you?"

"Oh I did. Just one dish. And you still have to eat it."

Loud chortles and giggles of joy returned, and Kanata gave a look of fondness over at it. The scene was most important, really, the precursor to the night of their true pledge to stick by each other's side.

Face to darkness, and Kanata looked above him. Stars, seemingly pointing their lights in the direction of his soul mate, his perfect partner, Shuuji. A phantom of him, at the age Kanata truly was now.

So that was what he looked like, as he shook his fist at a few children on a TV show, yelling at them to "get off his lawn" just like Shuuji, to play into the age old stereotype before beaming back to Kanata and saying, "But it's all a joke still. The children around here are fun to play with!"

Youthful spunk, both held it, no matter their age.

The stars, they guided him, stars that connected. Kanata looked forward, seeing the shadow of Shuuji, standing now, his hand held out to him. Racquet in his other, suddenly they were both young again.

Gradually, Kanata took his steps, and walked toward Shuuji. Some time soon afterwards, he reached him, taking his hand with a smile, casually planting a kiss on it, racquet forming in his other hand.

"You were much too quick for, Shuuji," Kanata said. "So outdone… but that's no fun. No fair. I didn't want to be outdone in that matter."

"I'm here for you, Kanata," Shuuji smiled back, "And there's lots more fun to be had where I've been."

"It's time to join you then," Kanata said calmly as all the stars lights seemed to point down on the both of them. Sweet kisses of reunion, it seemed to a little child that was watching the sky that night that one star was suddenly joined by another just as bright.

And back to the sleeping Kanata, all warm under his blanket, his dream of being with Shuuji again never ended, as time and those beacons in the sky rejoined them, and he never had to wake again.


End file.
